Climate Smart Organic Egg Project Year One Press Release
For Immediate Release
December 5, 2024
Handsome Brook Farms' Climate-Smart Organic Egg Project: Year One in Review
In late August 2023, Handsome Brook Farms launched its Climate-Smart Organic Egg Project, backed by the USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant and partners like Organic Voices and Costco Wholesale, Soil Climate Initiative, Grow Well Consulting, NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, and grant management partners. This initiative is transforming organic egg farming practices and providing crucial support to family farmers dedicated to implementing regenerative organic agriculture practices.
Over the past year, Handsome Brook Farms successfully onboarded more than 20 dedicated growers into the Climate-Smart Organic Egg Project, collectively producing over 2 million eggs. These growers have adopted forward-thinking practices—like prescribed grazing, energy-efficient lighting, cover cropping, biochar application, and mulching—that bolster soil health, farm resilience, and overall sustainability. Together, these measures are helping to build a climate-resilient farming network that actively reduces its carbon footprint.
“Handsome Brook Farms strives to prioritize animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and responsible sourcing by working closely with family farmers. This partnership has allowed Handsome Brook to supply nutritious eggs to consumers across the country while building a viable future for rural communities” says Jordan Czeizler, CEO of Handsome Brook Farms.
One of the most impactful aspects of Handsome Brook Farms’ initiative has been its commitment to renewable energy. Nine full solar projects have been awarded to participating farms, with installations set to begin by the end of 2024. The renewable energy solutions are designed to help farmers, such as Kentucky’s Larry Schmidt, achieve energy independence and significantly lower their emissions. Schmidt explains how this shift has changed his operations: “The credits I bank throughout the year should cover the energy needs of the barn even during June, July and August during peak energy usage when all the fans are running.”
The Climate-Smart Organic Egg Project has helped create a network of resilient, sustainable farms ready to face the challenges of climate change. “I feel like the grant is really going to help sustain [the hens],” Schmidt reflects. “As farmers, we want to be proactive and give the hens the best environment to sustain them.” Handsome Brook Farms aims to expand regenerative farming efforts by incorporating tree and shrub establishment, silvopasture systems, and investments in waste management and storage facilities over the coming years. These initiatives are not only an investment in the future of sustainable agriculture but also in the stability and prosperity of small and medium-sized farms.
Tracy Favre, VP of Live Ops Sustainability at Handsome Brook Farms notes, “We are already seeing the benefits of this grant directly on farms and are excited to see how these changes can help in combating climate change on rural farms throughout America. Our goal is to be able to share this data and allow for more farmers to learn about these regenerative organic practices that are helping cut costs and create healthier hens and farmland.”